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Learn How to Make "KID MAIL"

While I am adjusting to life with a newborn and toddler, my friend Danielle Walker is my first guest to post a great craft activity called “KID MAIL” to share with your little one, enjoy!

‘KID MAIL’ by Danielle Walker

posted June 2nd 2011

I admit it. My two-and-a-half year old is totally "plugged in." Since the day that she was born she has had a weekly Skype date with her grandparents who live 3,000 miles away, she knows that her favorite episodes of "Fresh Beat Band" are always available on the DVR and 90% of her play dates are arranged via text or a Facebook invite.

Fortunately for me, she is also still young enough to be completely enamored with old-fashioned snail mail. Now that she's also increasingly interested in activities that allow her do "big kid" things all by herself we created a KID MAIL center at our house to encourage her love of sending hand-written messages. We use felt fabric envelopes as they're more durable than paper envelopes when the messages are getting pulled out and shoved in over and over (see directions below for how to make the envelopes), blank index cards and a couple of crayons to write notes and send pictures to one another. We made five envelopes in different colors for each member of the family (and yes, we included the dog AND the fish) and put a mailbox in the entryway for deliveries (we use a "dressed up" shoebox, but you could use a basket or whatever is on hand).

She loves delivering the envelopes filled with little pictures she's drawn for us and "notes" she's scribbled. In our house we use KID MAIL to send tea party invitations to her stuffed animals or thank you notes to Daddy for taking out the trash or even bills to the dog for the toys that he's chewed up. She loves sitting at the kitchen counter writing notes while I cook dinner and on the special days when her envelope contains a new sticker, a hand written note from Mommy, a postcard or a picture of a friend her face lights up!

A friend of mine who also plays the KID MAIL game found that her three-year-old son loves exchanging letters with a four-year-old neighbor friend who is learning how to read and write and thinks that a hand-delivered letter from her friend is the most special thing in the world.

It's just a small game that we like to play in our house, but it's a fun way to shut down the tech for a little while and reconnect with a traditional way of communicating with the (big and little) ones we love.

How I Made The Envelopes:

Materials Needed:

1. Sheets of felt in colors of your choice- these come in 9" or 12" x 12" sheets at any craft store.2. Blank note cards or index cards3. Needle and thread in a contrasting color (NOTE: If you are not sew-savvy, you can use all-purpose craft glue instead)4. Fabric paint or other baubles to decorate the envelopes with (i.e., sequins, pom poms)

Step One:

Cut the felt so that it's two inches wider than the note card and 1 1/2 times longer than the note card.

Step Two:

Fold the bottom of the felt up so that it forms a pocket (or an envelope!!) big enough for the note cards and sew or glue the sides, because it's felt the flap of the envelope will hold itself down and you don't need any kind of adhesive or Velcro to hold it down.

Step Three:

If you want, use fabric paint or other baubles to decorate the envelope or let each person in the family decorate their own. Have fun!!

1 comment:

Hi. Kid mail is a cute idea. We both post to the pinboard on Circle of Moms. My blog, Capri + 3, will be hosting a weekly linky party starting this Wednesday July 11th, called Artsy Play Wednesday. This post would be a perfect addition. There is no link to the number of posts you can link each Wednesday as long as they are about arts, crafts and play. I hope to see you there this Wednesday (and each Wednesday).

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About Me

I am Sophie Davies; a Brit blogger, freelance writer, and PR Consultant who left London 5 years ago for a more balanced quality of life and to start a family in Marin, California.
This blog is about the things I am passionate about; home decor, design, fashion, books, websites, local restaurant reviews, play date ideas and family friendly events happening in the Bay Area. I also write articles on business owners offering an interesting service or new product line. If you want me to promote your company then contact me on sophialdavies@gmail.com